马达加斯加千足虫的氰化物防御术
Deep in the rainforests of Madagascar, a creature the size of a small sausage slowly crawls along the forest floor. When disturbed, it does not flee—it coils into a tight ball and releases a faint, bitter-almond scent. This is a giant African millipede, and it is releasing hydrogen cyanide gas, one of the most potent poisons in the natural world.
Most animals cannot produce cyanide, but this millipede creates it from simple chemicals stored in special glands along its body. Each segment holds two separated compounds: a benzoyl cyanide precursor and an enzyme. When the millipede tenses its muscles, these substances mix and a rapid chemical reaction takes place, releasing hydrogen cyanide and benzoic acid. The gas bursts through microscopic pores, forming a protective cloud around the animal.
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